. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/USA/2427 
19 July 2012  
 (12-3938) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US 
Department of Agriculture 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Plants and plant products 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Notice of Establishment of a Commodity Import 
Approval Process Web Site (D ocket No. APHIS-2012-0006)  Language(s):  English  
Number of pages:  1 
 http://www.regulations.gov/#!docum entDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0006-0001  
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is announcing 
the creation of a new Plant Protection and Quarantine website that will provide 
stakeholders with information about the co mmodity import approval process for plants and 
plant products and give them the opportunity to consult with us on risk assessments as they 
are being drafted. We are doing this in response to stakeholder requests for more information about the commodity import approval process and the opportunity to comment 
on draft risk assessments.  This website will make the commodity import approval process 
more visible to stakeholders and allow them to comment on draft risk assessments. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [X] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from other damage from pests.    
8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    G/SPS/N/USA/2427 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [X] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:      
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  This notice is effective 26 June 2012. 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Charisse 
Cleare, Project Coordinator, Regulations, Pe rmits, and Manuals, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; +1 (301) 851-2037 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   United States 
SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Fore ign Agricultural Service, International 
Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1014, Washington D.C. 20250;  Tel:  +(1 
202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202)  720 0433;  E-mail:  us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov